Workplace environment measurement: when can KHS require it?

Why workplace environment measurement is carried out

Workplace environment measurement serves to verify which factors employees are actually exposed to at work. It is not merely formal documentation for the authority. Measurement results are important for assessment of working conditions, job categorisation, design of protective measures and communication with the regional hygiene station.

KHS may require measurement especially during inspection, when approving or changing job categorisation, after technology change, when hygienic limits are suspected to be exceeded or when handling employee submissions. Measurement is also needed at new operations where objective data on actual working conditions are not yet available.

Which factors are most often measured

The scope of measurement always depends on the specific operation, work activities and technologies used. When measuring workplace environment, the following are most often addressed:

• chemical substances – for example solvents, adhesives, coating materials, cleaning agents, vapours from technologies or thermal decomposition products,
• dust – total dust, respirable fraction, wood dust, metal particles, mineral dust or crystalline silica,
• noise – machines, production lines, compressors, hand tools, fans or other technological sources,
• vibration – hand-held vibrating tools, forklift trucks, construction machinery or workstations with vibration transfer to hands or whole body,
• microclimate – heat, cold, humidity, air movement and thermal load,
• lighting – intensity and uniformity of lighting at workstations.

The aim is not to measure everything, but to choose a scope that corresponds to the actual risk factors of the given work.

Chemical factors

Chemical factors are addressed wherever employees work with substances or mixtures that may be released into workplace air. This typically involves paint shops, bonding, cleaning, degreasing, welding, plastics production, work with solvents, technological heating or other processes where vapours, aerosols or fumes arise.

Before measurement it is important to review safety data sheets, technology description and actual work procedure. What matters is not only which substance is present in the operation, but also how it is used, how long the work activity lasts, whether extraction is running and whether exposure is constant or short-term.

For chemical factors it is therefore important to prepare in particular:

• safety data sheets of substances and mixtures used,
• description of work procedure,
• information on duration of work with monitored substances,
• data on ventilation and extraction,
• number of workers and shift length,
• information on whether it is normal operation or exceptional activity.

Dust at the workplace

Dustiness is evaluated especially in grinding, cutting, crushing, tipping, welding, machining, work with building materials, wood, stone, ceramics, concrete or bulk raw materials.

Depending on the nature of work, total dust, respirable fraction or specific dust components may be important. In some operations content of crystalline silica, metals, wood dust or other specific components is essential.

For dustiness it is essential that measurement corresponds to real work activity. If measurement is carried out on a day when production is limited or the dustiest operations are not performed, the result may not reflect actual employee exposure.

Noise at the workplace

Noise is measured especially at production lines, machines, presses, grinders, saws, compressors, ventilation, hand tools, wood-processing operations, metalworking or other noisy technologies.

For evaluation, not only instantaneous machine noise level matters, but overall worker exposure during the shift. If the employee alternates several activities, the time during which they are exposed to individual noise sources must be taken into account.

For measurement preparation it is therefore important to know:

• length of work shift,
• division of activities during the shift,
• time spent at noisy equipment,
• number of machines used,
• normal and maximum operating regime,
• personal protective equipment used.

Noise measurement is often an important basis for job categorisation, design of noise control measures and setting rules for use of hearing protection.

Vibration

Vibration is addressed mainly where employees use hand-held vibrating tools or work on machines and vehicles that transfer vibration to hands or whole body.

This typically involves grinders, hammers, drills, chainsaws, compaction equipment, construction machinery, forklift trucks, tractors or other work equipment with significant vibration transfer.

For vibration it is key to determine actual exposure duration correctly. It is not enough to know that the worker uses certain equipment. It is necessary to find out how long they actually work with it during the shift and whether activities repeat daily or only irregularly.

Microclimate

Microclimatic conditions are measured where there may be a problem with heat, cold, humidity or air movement. This typically involves operations with thermal technologies, kitchens, laundries, warehouses, production halls, poorly ventilated offices or workplaces with significant seasonal load.

For microclimate it is important to choose a suitable measurement time. Results may differ in winter, in summer and at full technology operation. It is therefore advisable to agree in advance what state measurement should capture.

Lighting

Lighting measurement is carried out where sufficient intensity and uniformity of lighting at workstations is important. This may involve production, assembly, inspection workstations, laboratories, warehouses, offices, workshops or operations with visually demanding work.

During measurement not only lighting intensity is evaluated, but also workstation layout, luminaire condition, shading, daylight and actual manner of work. In older operations it often turns out that the problem is not only the number of luminaires, but also their placement, age, soiling or unsuitable light distribution.

Measurement as documentation for job categorisation

Job categorisation is one of the most common reasons why an employer needs workplace environment measurement. The employer must assess which risk factors occur at work and into which category the work is to be classified.

For some factors orientational assessment may be insufficient and objective measurement must be documented. This applies especially to chemical substances, dust, noise, vibration, microclimate and other factors where actual employee exposure is decisive.

It is important that categorisation does not apply generally to the whole company, but to specific work. Measurement must therefore correspond to actual work activity, workstation, shift length and operating regime.

What the employer should prepare

Before measurement it is advisable to prepare basic information on the operation and work activities. The more accurate the documentation available, the better the measurement scope can be designed and a representative work day chosen.

For initial assessment the following are usually useful:

• description of work activities,
• number of employees and shift length,
• shift pattern and operating regime,
• safety data sheets of substances and mixtures used,
• technical documentation of equipment,
• data on extraction, ventilation and filtration,
• information on personal protective equipment used,
• previous measurement reports if any,
• proposed or existing job categorisation,
• KHS request or notice.

For chemical substances and dust, safety data sheets, work procedure and exposure duration are most important. For noise and vibration, division of the shift by individual activities is essential. For microclimate and lighting, workstation layout and normal operating state must be known.

Why not to postpone measurement

Workplace environment measurement should be addressed before a problem arises during inspection. If the employer does not have current documentation, it may be difficult to demonstrate that working conditions are correctly assessed and that job categorisation corresponds to actual operation.

Timely measurement makes it possible to verify actual state and possibly adopt measures before the employer is required to do so. This may involve adjustment of extraction, change of work organisation, supplementary protective equipment, exposure limitation or technical improvement of the workplace.

Summary

KHS may require workplace environment measurement especially when it is necessary to document objectively employee exposure to risk factors of work. Chemical substances, dust, noise, vibration, microclimate, lighting and documentation for job categorisation are most often addressed.

Properly prepared measurement must correspond to the employee's actual work. What matters is work procedure, exposure duration, operating regime, substances used, technology and protective measures.

Send us a description of the workplace, work activities, safety data sheets and any KHS request. We will propose a suitable scope of workplace environment measurement and documentation for job categorisation.